Dark Eyes
by MetallicAngel30
Summary: Bella was a witch. A dyed in the wool, wand waving, potion brewing, broom riding witch. Not that she rode brooms. She was also Hermione's elder cousin. After finding a dying Severus Snape in the boat house, she works her magic to heal and bring him back to life. In more ways than just physically. (Timeline altered to make Bella older than Hermione but Twilight story remains as is.)
1. Found

Bella took in the surroundings on the battle field that used to the the Hogwarts grounds, and was deeply saddened at the loss of life in the idyllic Scottish setting. She was filthy and sore as she tended to the wounded of the battle. She had come at the call from her cousin, Mia, or Hermione as she is known outside of the family. She had gotten along with her younger cousin, but they were never exceedingly close. Bella had naturally worried for Mia when she hadn't been able to reach her for the past nine months or so, only to get a patronus saying that the war was ending. That it was finally time for the big bad to show his ugly mug and get his non existent nose kicked in.

Thankfully, Bella had a residence on the outside edge of Hogsmead, having moved there after she had graduated with the highest marks in her year at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her magical studies had been her refuge and escape after her disaster of a relationship with the undead coppertop with admittedly amazing hair. His one redeeming feature. Then, not long after she graduated, her long lost, and not so dearly missed friend Victoria paid a visit. Charlie had been home alone and ended up the object of her wrath. Wrath Bella visited on her tenfold. Bella was the one to find Charlie, on the edge of death. Not even her extensive knowledge of healing had helped any, and he died of his wounds. Bella cataloged every hurt on Charlie, and mimicked them on Victoria, using werewolf saliva, bought on the wizarding black market, to ensure her wounds didn't close, before she slowly burned her piece by piece.

Bella still owned the house in Forks, but was currently renting it Angela and Ben, who had gotten married after Angela had gotten her degree in education. As soon as the lease was signed, Bella packed up and moved to a cottage her grandmother had owned in England. Once the war was heating up, something that wasn't all that hard to miss, she placed the Fidelius on her cottage and made herself the secret keeper. Afterall, secrets are easiest to keep if there is only one person in the know. She holed herself up, and had her house elf, Mei Mei, get whatever she needed, and if things went to shit for good in the UK, Bella had no qualms about jumping ship back to the states.

When Mia's patronus had penetrated her little cottage, Bella was actually just getting into bed, despite the ridiculously late hour. Thanking her lucky stars that she slept in sweats and a t shirt, the latter probably not all that practical in the colder Scottish weather, but that is what warming charms were for, Bella jumped out of bed and quickly and silently made her way to the Hogshead, where a disgruntled Mr. Dumbledore was grumbling about people leaving him be for the last eighty years he had run the pub and now they wouldn't stop trampling through the place.

Finding herself in a room filled with hammocks, bundles of blankets, chairs, tables, and the like, almost like a communal college dorm, she practically ran into her cousin. After a rib cracking hug from Mia and a quick explanation of where she had been and what she and her two friends had been up to, Bella had decided that she would stay and help as a battlefield medic. Running triage on a normal battlefield was bad enough, but add in giants, dementors, acromantula, vampires, feral werewolves, and spells meant to boil your entrails as they spilled out of you upped the ante by a factor of innumerable proportions.

Now that the sun had risen, the big, bad, noseless megalomaniac had gone to finally pay his dues to the grim one, and Bella's triage duties were finally seeming to come to an end, she wandered aimlessly around the grounds, looking for a quiet place to just gather her thoughts before she went to find her cousin, who was probably celebrating with the Weasley family. All breathing a sigh of relief, especially after the close call that had almost cost Fred and Percy their lives. Thankfully, Bella was a dab hand a shielding charms, and not just the kind that blocked mental and magical attacks.

Finding herself on the edge of the Black Lake, she made her way to the rather large boat house, thinking that there was no possible way for the battle to have reached this far. Most of the action had taken place in and around the courtyard and great hall. And it looked like she was right. The structure was empty from what she could tell. Bella slowly made her way to one of the upturned boats so she wouldn't slip and fall on the wet ground and sat, pulling her legs to her chest, and resting her chin on her knees. Today had been a surreal day. If only the disco ball with the stick shoved up his ass could see her now, she mused, and gave a breathy giggle at the ridiculousness of the thought.

Lost as she was in her musings, she startled when she heard a gurgling sound from behind another upturned boat. Drawing her wand, and readying herself in case she came across a hex happy Death Eater, she gasped when she found a man lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Sweet Circe, Merlin, and Morgana!"

She found a Death Eater all right, but she knew this one. Severus Snape. The man had been the bane of her cousin's life for seven years, for all that she defended him. But there were two sides to every tale. And Bella couldn't see Albus Dumbledore being fooled by this man. The old headmaster had his faults to be sure. Plastered all over the Isle in that infernal book of Skeeter's. But Bella was sure, even if Snape was clever, he wasn't Dumbledore level clever.

Thinking fast, Bella got to her knees and quickly inspected the wounds on his neck. Bite wounds. From an incredibly, and almost impossibly large viper. But nothing was impossible with magic. First thing's first, viper's are for the most part, poisonous, so Bella dug out a bezoar and placed it in Professor Snape's mouth as far as her fingers could reach, before closing his mouth and massaging his throat to encourage him to swallow. It seemed to do something, because the next moment, she was looking into incredibly charcoal gray black eyes.

She then stiffened as she felt him in her mind. This was a first. Not even Ed-bitch was ever able to get a read on her. Images flashed in her head. A clear potion in a small round vial in his innermost left hand breast pocket. Underneath all those buttons. Bella tsk'd at absurdity and ran her wand along the row of buttons, not wasting time undoing them by hand, and found the vial. She unstoppered it, and gave it a sniff. Phoenix tears, judging by the salty smell. Placing four drops along each gash, she then had him ingest three more, placing a conjured glass of water to his lips to wash it down.

He fell back unconscious, likely due to the effort of getting her attention and then directing her to the one thing that was sure to save his life. Checking once more to make sure that the tears were doing their healing magic, Bella cast a warming charm on him, and then levitated him off of the filthy, algae covered floor. Not wanting to miss anything in his healing, she also funneled the blood that had been on the floor around him into one of her own empty vials to check and make sure the venom in his blood won't cause unnecessary problems even after the phoenix tears. Unlikely, but a good healer always covers her bases. She then placed a hand on his shoulder, and apparated them to the gate just outside her cottage, where her wards ended, and walked the rest of the way into her home.

One thing is for sure, things will get interesting when he wakes

 _ **A/N: So, I was thinking on how I would progress A Bite Out of Time, but I'm still stuck, so I was thinking that starting another HP story with Snape would hopefully get the creative writing juices flowing. I'm thinking on it while I'm at work, which, considering the repetitive nature of my job, is the perfect setting, so fingers crossed. For now, Enjoy!**_


	2. Awake

Severus Snape had never considered himself a reckless man. Being a spy for two such opposing sides in a war ensured that he was careful in almost anything he did. It would seem that he wasn't careful enough. He was a fool to believe that the Dark Lord would trust him enough to be alone with him for the sake of just being there. In the heat of a battle, he had let his guard down at the worst of times, and managed to ensure that he was the target of that thrice damned snake in the process. After Arthur Weasley's run in with the demonic snake in the Department of Mysteries, Severus wanted a back up plan, just in case. He didn't take into account the paralyzing agent of the venom, or the immense pain he would have to fight through to maintain a thought process long enough to try and get to the little vial of tears, hidden deep within the pockets of his robes.

He had given himself up for dead, and had finally resigned himself to his fate after ensuring Potter had had the necessary memories off him to know what he needed to do. It was probably for the best this way. He wouldn't have to argue with the infernal boy about whether or not he was telling the truth and waste precious time. After to witless trio had left, giving him up for dead, (honestly, they didn't even check!) he lay there on the filthy floor of the boat house, waiting as the venom to slowly run it's coarse through his body. Not that it would help Arthur Weasley now, but Severus had actually managed to figure out what type of venom the Dark Lord had imbued his snake with.

It was a mix of basilisk venom, as if that weren't deadly enough on it's own, and most interestingly, acromantula venom. The bastard always did enjoy his little experiments. Taking two venoms that were completely opposing, the basilisk venom being a blood thinning venom, while the acromantula venom coagulated, and mash them into one being. Madness. It shouldn't have been possible! Magic however, rarely takes into account that which should be impossible. It was then, Severus knew that the only real chance he had was with phoenix tears. It was this, that caused him to make a deal with his dying predecessor. For the insurance that Severus would live, he had to kill Albus Dumbledore, rather than Draco Malfoy, to whom the original task was set.

Just his like his rotten luck. Luck, that seemed to have shifted when he heard a giggle. I was soft, and full of relief, but he heard it! Trying his damnedest to stay conscious, he attempted to make some sort of sound out of the shredded meat that had been his throat. It seemed to have been just enough, because a few moments later, he heard someone slowly approaching.

"Sweet Circe, Merlin, and Morgana!" he heard a young woman gasp in exclaimation. _American_ , he thought randomly. She knelt down beside him, and he could feel her fingers gently moving cloth away from his ravaged neck, presumably to better see his wounds. If only he could open his blasted eyes! He was then surprised as she placed something in his mouth and encouraged him to swallow. He would know that taste anywhere. The taste of bile, a bezoar, afterall, was found in the stomach of a goat and would taste of bile, made itself known and he opened his eyes in shock. This person obviously had some sense of healing and he reached out with his mind to hopefully convey to her of the vial hidden in his robes.

It was difficult. Extremely so, and more work than he had anticipated as the average person didn't have the faintest groundwork of Occlumancy practiced. It seemed this young woman had very strong natural shields. Strong enough to repel even concentrated surface scans. He persisted however, and finally managed to send her an image of the vial and it's location. The young woman showed more brains than three quarters of the students he had ever taught and immediately used magic to open the buttons on his teaching cloak and took out the vial. She then sniffed it, presumably to ensure that she wasn't assisting him in his own suicide and found herself nodding in shocked appreciation. She then poured the tears on his wounds and even had him ingest a few drops before washing the salty liquid down with a glass of water.

He would have to remember to thank her in some way when he woke up. He owed this young woman his life, and he somehow didn't mind. After pledging his life to two masters, each ruthless in their own way, he found he really couldn't muster up the indignation needed to care in this instance. In fact, he couldn't muster up any sort of feeling at the moment as he finally allowed darkness to claim him.

)O(~~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~)O(

Severus woke to someone softly reading aloud at his bedside. The voice was soft and welcoming as he made his way back to awareness. It didn't take long for him to realize that whoever the woman was that was reading to him, she was reading a potions text. Something he could get used to quite quickly. He didn't open his eyes quite yet, not wanting to break the spell of absolute peace that permeated the space they were both in.

" _ **When chopping a Billywig Sting for your potion, to ensure maximum retention of the slime within, be assured to cut at an angle of 42 degrees, before mixing it thoroughly with the pus of a Clabbert. Ensure that every chopped sting is coated before adding to the armadillo bile and baneberry balm mixture."**_ He heard the young woman make a noise of disgust.

"You know Professor, even though it is meant to help heal burns, some of this, I can't help but feel will make the burn worse rather than heal it," the young woman said. Not able to let a good potions debate slide by, and years of teaching acting against him, he answered her softly.

"Indeed not. Neither the pus or the bile help. It is more advantageous to use powdered fairy wings in place of the clabbert pus, and African honey in place of the bile. Honey being a natural antibacterial and the magic of the fairy wings ensures the slime of the billywig sting doesn't react negatively with the dead flesh of the burn."

There was a soft gasp, and Severus opened his eyes to look into a rather captivating pair of dark chocolate orbs. He saw a small smile creep onto her face, after a moment.

"You know, adding week old bread mold to the potion, ups the healing factor by a power of 20 percent, and cuts the amount of time needed to be on the wound in half," the woman countered.

"Indeed? Must be the inherent penicillin in the mold. Again, an antibacterial agent. Used since the time of the Ancient Egytians," he said softly. In little more than a whisper. He moved his hand up to his neck to check on the progress of his wounds.

The young woman set her book to the side and moved to stand by his bedside.

"They are, for the most part, completely healed. You can speak, as you are well aware, but just to be on the safe side, I wouldn't attempt to speak any louder a tone than you have been. Just to assure that your vocal chords haven't sustained any more traumatic damage. I checked your blood, to make sure that it was clear of the venom. There are traces, still, but I don't think it will hinder or harm you in any way. It is truly a miracle on the scale of Merlin that you hadn't died before I found you, Professor. There were some minor complications after, but you healed nicely," she said.

"Severus, please. The woman who saved my life more than earned her right to call me by my given name," he tells her.

"And I am Isabella. But my friends call me Isa, and only an absolute small handful have the okay to call me Bella, though I don't care for the name as I used to," she smiled.

"Isabella it is. Tell me, Isabella. Where are we?" he asked, looking about the room they were in. It was a comfortable room, with hardwood floors with a black rug to keep the chill from one's feet, and light blue walls. A satin and lace curtain was drawn back from the window, offering a picturesque view of a forest. He turned to her as she giggled.

"Don't you recognize the trees, Severus? We are still in Hogsmead, in my cottage on the far edge of town. Farthest from the school in fact."

Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The old Swan residence. I thought the family had decided to finally tear it down three years ago."

Bella gave a good laugh at this. "No, no. The last Swan just decided to ensure her safety. I placed it under the Fidelius and have been here ever since. You, me, my cousin Hermione, and my house elf, Mei Mei, are the only ones who know it is still here." Severus balked, and then asked the question his mind brought up at the name Hermione.

"Hermione Granger?" he asked.

"The very one. Don't worry over it, though. If you do not wish to see her, the wards alert me with enough time for you to come to your rooms, which are warded for you alone, or, if need be, I have another home in America that you can use. The current inhabitants are looking for another place, as they are expecting yet another child, and this finally makes their family too big for the house. They should be out in their new place by the end of the week if you would rather go there to get away. Judging by what the prophet is publishing about you, I dare say, you might rather go that rout," she said. While soothing one concern, she merely brought up another.

"And what is the Daily Prophet publishing this week?" he said with a dark edge to his voice.

"Ah, it's been celebrating the downfall of the Dark Lord to be sure, but it seems that Harry Potter got his hands on some memories that he said were yours, and while he won't share the memories themselves, he does seem to be divulging some of their contents."

Severus rubbed his eyes in frustration. "Just how long have I been alseep?"

"Two full days. While the tears did their job and healed you, you still developed a slight fever. I thought it best to wake you up as soon as it broke, thinking you would prefer to take care of yourself rather than have me fuss over you. Not that I can't fuss if you want me to."

Severus gave a slight smile at her attempt at cheering him up and sighed. "Suppose it was too much for the little pest to just let me fade into obsurity."

"The option of America is still open to you, should you wish for a new start. The whole of magical Britain believes you dead. Let them continue to think so. Change your name, and we can both move to America. No fuss, no muss," she said, giving a shrug.

"Both of us?" he asked, raising a brow at her.

"You don't think that just because I saved your life, I would let a man I don't know into my home without my supervision, do you? Tsk. And here I thought you were clever." Any reproach in her voice was tempered by the amusement dancing in her eyes and the smirk on her lips.

"Besides, I would be crazy to let a fine speciman of a man out of my sight. Especially one with your eyes and voice. They are enough to make a girl turn to goo."

Severus choked on air and Bella threw her head back and laughed at his expression.

"You can not be serious?!" he asked incredulously.

"Completely. Honestly, you must be beating the sixth and seventh years off with a trolls club!" she said with a look of genuine honesty.

"Not hardly. I am the greasy bat of the dungeons, with a toucan's beak for a nose. No one finds me attractive," he said with a slightly sullen air.

Bella gave a rather impressive unladylike snort. "Then they are blind as well as vapid. Honestly, as if their hair is the model of perfection after a double block of potions. And your nose isn't a beak. It has a rather old world Roman quality I rather like, so please, for the sake of my blood pressure, and your sanity, don't put yourself down again, or I will go off on a rant worthy of my cousin."

Severus looked at the delicate but deceptively strong woman at his side. This woman he didn't even know, that saved his life and was willing to help him get a fresh start in a new country, free of masters and expectations. It was more than he had dared hope for when he envisioned the end of this bloody war. And he was a smart enough man to take it with both hands!

 ** _A/N:You know, I don't think I've ever made the disclaimer in any of my stories, So just to cover my a$$...Twilight belongs to SM, HP belongs to JKR, and Labyrinth belongs to the Jim Henson company, I believe. So there. Also, this isn't going to be a long story. It's just an errant plot bunny that wouldn't leave my head as I thought about how to continue ABOOT. (XD A BOOT! rofl) Here's hoping it will knock something loose._**


	3. Soul Mates and Bound

_**A/N: Lemon Alert towards the end of the chapter. Heads up.**_

Bella was true to her word. After notifying her cousin that she was going home to the United States, and had gone to the dinner Molly Weasley had put together to thank her for helping Fred and Percy during the battle, Bella closed up her cabin, and she and Severus moved back into her house in Forks. She magically widened the basement and warded it to be a potions laboratory for Severus and covered the walls in the living room with book shelves and they both took turns preparing meals, Mei Mei having stayed at the cottage, seeing at Bella's house in Forks was in a Muggle, or No Maj rather, area. For Severus, it was the most domestic setting he had ever been in, and now that he was free of the constraints that had been forced on him in Britain, he was in no hurry to change it.

Both he and Bella would stay up late reading, debating potions and healing, or just talking about the most random things in the world. He gradually found his regard for the young woman rise. He would soon find her popping up in his thoughts in the most random of times, even if she weren't in the immediate vicinity. While he was brewing, while he was doing research in the living room/library while she was at work at St. Juliana's in Seattle, or while she was even just out to buy groceries for their food.

Which is why, that morning, he had sent his new owl, Marius, to her at work this morning, with an invitation to join him on a picnic on the beach. He had been spending the morning while she was at work, putting up muggle repelling charms, warming charms, silencing wards, and the like to satisfy his paranoia, and then placing up candles, and a blanket, getting everything perfect. He needed this to be perfect. For the first time in decades, he was feeling stirrings in his heart that he had thought long dead. And now, this slip of a woman had come swooping into his life in the nick of time to save it in more ways than one, and there was nothing he could do, or would do, to stop these new stirrings. He welcomed them and he welcomed Isabella.

As he was working on the food, he received her answer. It was a simple, _**Of course. See you this evening, and I look forward to it. ~B**_

He smiled at her note. It was simple, as she liked things, but still conveyed that she cared, and even excited at the prospect. He had prepared her favorite. A ricotta ravioli with green pesto and Italian sausage, fresh baked garlic bread, and an Italian Chianti for the meal and tiramisu for dessert. It was an extravagant meal, but it was the setting that he believed that would sell it. No five star restaurant and stuffy atmosphere with stilted conversation. No, small, intimate, and hopefully easy conversation, just as they were conversing now.

He heard the pop of her apparition in her room, the wards alerting him that she was home as well, so he knew not to jump into spy mode, and smiled, knowing he would see her soon. Just in time, seeing as he was carefully packing the food into a magically expanded, temperature controlled, sectioned picnic basket. He made himself busy by cleaning the dishes and making sure he had everything.

"Good evening, Severus," he head softly behind him. He turned and his breath caught in his chest. There Bella stood in a beautiful light green three quarter sleeved blouse and blue jeans, matching green ballet flats, with her hair up in a clip. She carried a denim jacket over her arm in case the chill catches her. A smile found it's way to his lips, as it was wont to do now a days. Mostly around Bella. She was stunning, even in her casual attire.

"Good evening, Miss. Swan," he said, as he walked up to her and gently placed a kiss on her cheek. "Are you ready for our outing this evening?"

She graced him with one of her smiles, that never failed lighten his heart. A feat considering it had been weighed down by guilt for the better part of two decades over his lost love, Lily.

"I am. Do you need any help with, well, anything?" she asked.

Severus shook his head in the negative, and offered her his arm. "No, the site is set up already and I have taken care of the meal. All that is left is your company."

Bella took hold of his offered arm and gently squeezed it. "Then I am more than happy to provide said company."

Severus picked up the basket and held it in the crook of his elbow as he laid his hand over hers in the in the bend of his other elbow before he apparated them to the picnic site.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella couldn't believe the day she was having. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a day even. It had started off normal enough. She had started her shift at St. Juliana's doing her morning rounds to all of her patients, and then took some time to catch up on her paperwork. Not the most exciting aspect of her job, but she realized that it needed to be done. Not long after she had begun her paperwork, she received an owl from Severus, carried by his owl Marius.

 _ **Isabella, Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a picnic on the beach this evening. I promise you an evening the both of us shall enjoy and remember. ~S**_

Bella couldn't help the smile that split her face, the butterflies in her stomach, or her heart suddenly finding itself beating out of her chest. Her feelings for the dour potions master had been steadily growing the two months or so they had been in the states. She supposed that it was inevitable. Their late night chats and debates and living together in the same house, with neither venturing out to socialize with others, that they would both start to gravitate to the other. Not that she could find it in her to mind.

She penned her reply and sent Marius on his way, and went back to work with a smile on her face, where it remained for the rest of the day. Indeed, her mood was such that the head nurse even commented on her infectious giddiness.

"Isa, what has you in such a good mood? I don't think I have ever seen you with such a pep in your step," Ilana said with a knowing glint in her eye.

"I just found something to make me happy today," she told the nurse.

"And would this something be in the form of a man, by any chance?" Ilana wheedled.

Bella chuckles. "It does, but it is uncertain at the moment, so please, don't go talking about it to all and sundry. I don't want to metaphorically jinx it." The elderly nurse patted her hand.

"No worries dear. I won't say a word. You will let me know when to send a gift for your handfasting, of course."

Bella choked on her next breath and looked incredulously at Ilana, who laughed at the now discomfited healer. Bella, turning beet root red gave a bemused smile to the nurse before she continued to go about her day, leaving her to her laughter. Though now that the thought was in her head, Bella couldn't help but think on the picture Ilana had painted for her. Her and Severus having a tiny ceremony in the back yard of her little cottage in Hogsmead. Him in a fine set of black robes and her in a simple white dress. She could imagine their children, clear as the nose on Severus's face. A laughing little girl with his hair and her features, a little boy running into Severus's arms with a happy squeal. Oh how she longed for such a scene.

Such a scene stayed with her for the rest of her shift, and made her excitement for her night with Severus climb all the higher. At the end of her shift, she clocked out, Ilana giving her a knowing smirk as she left, and she apparated directly into her bedroom. She wasn't planning on getting all fancy with how she looked but that didn't mean that she couldn't clean up a bit. She donned a light green shirt and a brand new pair of jean she had gotten only a few days before and a pair of ballet flats she had charmed to the same color as her blouse. She then placed her hair up out of her face and placed a natural looking amount of make up on, and studied herself in the full length mirror in her bedroom. Well, she certainly looked well enough.

She quietly made her way down the stairs and entered the kitchen to see Severus cleaning up the place and checking a basket she assumed carried their meal.

She greeted him and they exchanged banter, Bella silently assuring Severus that she would enjoy his company as much as he seemed to enjoy hers. He took up the basket, smiled, place his hand upon hers, and then apparated them to where he had set up the picnic blanket.

Bella gasped at the sheer simple beauty of the location. There were blankets and pillows situated on the ground with candles floating and giving off a soft ambient light as twilight set in. In the center of the blanket, there was a small bouquet. Purple anemones, red tulips, and white chrysanthemum.

"Severus, It's breath taking," she whispered, not wanting to break the intimacy to the moment.

"I am glad you like it. Having gotten to know you in our time together, I figured something like this would be more comfortable for the both of us, rather than a strange restaurant with strangers all around," he says, as he sets down the basket and begins to take out the contents, starting with the wine and glasses, as she smelled the bouquet he had presented her.

Bella smiles at him. "Indeed. Severus, you have really out done yourself." He poured them both a flute of wine before placing the bottle back into the basket.

"To you," he says, handing her a glass. "The amazingly brave woman, who saved a man, who was guilty according to all of the evidence. Who showed such compassion to give a Death Eater a second chance in a new country. _Salute_." The klinked their glasses as Bella blushed at his words.

"I had to. I couldn't just let a man die on the cold algae covered floor of that boat house," she said, gently shifting the glass between her hands after taking a sip. Severus set his glass to one side and took one of her hands.

"And I am forever grateful, Isabella. There is no possible way I could repay such acts of kindness."

They stayed sitting there, with her hand in his, just enjoying the touch of another. And they each could tell that this was a turning point in their relationship. His obsidian eyes connected with hers and she could see him leaning in, like he was going to kiss her, but he stopped just short.

"Would you like to see what I have prepared for us?" he whispered hoarsely. Bella had to swallow a few times to get saliva flowing once more into her suddenly dry mouth.

"I would love to," she finally managed. Severus pulled away, and she could see in his eyes that he clearly didn't want to.

"I made ravioli," he said simply, handing her a plate with the still steaming pasta and a slice of bread.

"It smells divine," she breathed, before she took a bite, and moaned at the taste, as she closed her eyes to savor the flavor. She opened her eyes to see Severus looking at her with a heated gaze. His black eyes boring into her with an intense hunger. She once more blushed, and looked down at her plate, completely missing the smirk of achievement that stole over his face.

"I am glad you enjoy it," he said before digging into his own meal. They passed the time in conversation much the same as they had before hand, and once she had finished with her dessert, she sat back and gave a sigh.

"It was perfect, Severus. Thank you, so very much."

"You are quite welcome. What say you to us going back home and digesting our meal in the library. I can read to you what I have been working on. Hopefully gain an opinion on what to add or take out."

Bella smiled and nodded. They left the site as it was, Severus saying that he would return later to clean up, and apparated home. Severus opened the door for her, and as she went to pass him into the house, she brushed against him and caught his scent. She froze and looked into his eyes.

"Isa," he whispered. "Do you believe in soul mates?" She could see the insecurity in his eyes and posture.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Though there was a time she would have said it was nothing but a myth, seeing any of the pack in the presence of their imprints put paid to that rather quickly.

All thoughts however, were driven completely out of her head when he bent down and captured her lips in a deep and passionate kiss. She dropped the bouquet she had remembered to bring with as her arms immediately went around his neck and her hands tangled into his incredibly soft hair as she welcomed the kiss, tangling her tongue with his and reveling in his taste. The last remnants of the tiramisu and wine clinging to his lips, as his natural spicy taste adding an addictive undertone that made her never want to come up for air.

She whimpered in need as he brought her into the house and closed the door, before picking her up and setting her on one of the kitchen counters.

"We can stop if you want," he said lowly in an extremely thick voice.

Bella moaned. "Severus, if you stop now, I will finish what Nagini started." That was all he needed, and they quickly began shedding clothes, her jacket and blouse quickly following his outer cloak and frock coat. He expertly unhooked her bra with one hand as her own hands found their way to his waist to undo his belt and trouser buttons. Getting impatient he helped her before shedding her of her own jeans and underclothes.

His own pants barely made it past his knees before he pulled her to the edge of the counter and sank his rigid cock into her dripping cunt. They both moaned and he stilled in both rapture and shock. She had been a virgin.

"You're a-, why didn't you tell me? I would ha-," he began, but Bella stopped him with another searing kiss.

"Shut up, Severus, and make love to me."

And he did so, though he was considerably more gentle and aware as he did so. He picked her up and began moving to the couch in the library/living room so that at least she would have something soft at her back. He laid Bella down on the couch, and with a flick of his wrist, he enlarged it. He lent down and kissed her, before he once again began moving.

He pulled out nearly completely before thrusting back in, both moaning at the feeling of sheer ecstasy and rightness flowing through them. And he knew, he would never be able to leave her. He was hers completely. He knew, and it was this knowing that prompted him to whisper what he did.

"Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done."

He did not expect her to reply, though hoped that he would soon hear those same words from her lips. This night already becoming more than he ever dared hope. So he was completely shocked when he heard her reply with the same vows.

"Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done," she said in between gasps and moans as his cock continued to drive her into absolute raptures.

He could feel her tight little pussy begin to clench around him and he knew she was close. He needed her to finish. He needed to know he had satisfied her before he climaxed. One hand went to a breast, kneading and rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the other went to where they were joined, rubbing her clit in tight measured little circles. He lifted his head so he could look in her eyes. Eyes filled with need, joy, and love.

"I love you," she whispered, before her eyes rolled back, her mouth forming a nearly perfect 'o' and her channel clamping down on him so tightly, it pulled his own finish from him. Their resulting climaxes putting forth the magic needed to seal the vows they made to each other. As they rode out the waves of pleasure, tattoos formed around their left wrists. His formed her name in delicate looping letters, as if she wrote them, and she too, had his name in his spidery, slightly slanted lettering.

He rolled to the side so as not to crush her, and she cuddled into his side to stave off the sudden emptiness she felt now that he was no longer inside of her. As Severus got his breathing under control, he realized that she had fallen asleep, and he kissed her sweat covered brow, praying that in the morning, this won't have been nothing more than a dream of longing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~~

Severus slowly gained awareness as he woke and felt a body next to him. He breathed a sigh of relief, smelling the familiar scent of Isa at his side. The night before came back and he lifted his left arm, seeing the new addition to his person. As far as binding tattoos, this one was infinitely more welcome than the now still and faded Dark Mark just inches above her name. He nearly couldn't believe that they were now soul bound. They had invoked a magic as old as the founders themselves, and he was ecstatic with whom he chose.

His focus was shifted to the woman laying half across him, as he felt her stir. His arms went back around her and pulled her close to kiss her brow.

"Hmmm, good morning, Severus," she said with a sleep laden voice.

"Good morning, petal," he replied. She moved so she was straddling him, but neither felt the need for more yet, as she lent forward and kissed him. It was now, at this most inconvenient of times that his insecurities made themselves known. Sensing some form of hesitation, Bella pulled back.

"Severus, what's wrong?"

"Did you mean it?" he asked.

"Mean what?" she asked confused.

"Last night. You said you loved me. Did you mean it?" She smiled and once again leaned forward and gave him a soft, but passion filled hiss.

"I meant it," she said. "And good thing too, since we seemed to have found ourselves married in the old ways last night. But why the unsurity now? I mean, you aren't regretting binding yourself to me do you? You don't all of a sudden have pressing matters to return to in England?"

At the hesitation he was showing, Bella's own insecurities came flooding to the surface. Thankfully, the next words from Severus allayed any fears starting to make themselves known.

"Merlin, no. I love you as well, and I could never regret that or the binding. It's just people tend to say things in the dark and in the heat of passion that they don't mean in the light of day."

A smile broke out once again on her face, and to him, it was as if the sun were making itself known after a long Scottish winter night. Then a wicked thought seemed to enter her head as she gave him a sexy little smirk and moved her hand down to his cock, bringing it to life in merely a few pumps.

"Now, I have a dilemma on my hands. Do I prove to you how much I love you in the most enjoyable way possible. Or punish you for doubting what I say as the truth." Severus groaned and threw his head back at the sudden pleasure before thrusting his hips up into her hand. But Bella didn't make him wait long, and she slid down onto his marvelously sized cock, once again giving them both a feeling of being complete.

Severus's hands went immediately to her hips and his feet planted firmly on the transfigured couch and he thrust up into her, drawing a shout of pleasure from her. He did it again and again, drawing her down harder and harder. Her cries and groans of pleasure building as the coil in her abdomen drawing as tight as the heat that was building at the base of Severus's spine. Bella put her hands over his, and leaned forward one last time, kissing Severus so hard as her climax crashed into her, so as to stifle some of her resulting scream of pleasure. Not that it did much good. The feelings were so intense, she ended up breaking the kiss and crying out anyway.

The feeling of her hot, tight little cunt squeezing him for all it was worth, drew Severus's end from him. His seed shooting into Bella's body as it milked him for all she was worth. Bella fell forward, not even bothering to remove herself from his rapidly softening cock. Severus held her to him as they regained their composure.

"You're mine, Severus. If you think for even a moment ever again that what I tell you isn't the complete truth, I will correct you of such a foolish notion," she said softly.

"As you are mine, petal. And promise, I shall never let a thought so offending to you enter my head again," he replied. She nodded.

"Good. See, I knew you were smart."

 ** _A/N: Flower meanings, Anemone's give off the feeling of being forsaken, but also give the meaning of anticipation. Th thought both of these were fitting for Severus. White chrysanthemum's represent loyal love. And red tulips symbolize perfect love. I know that the relationship developed fast. But like I said, errant plot bunny. I hope y'all enjoy._**


	4. Closure

Little Cora Snape was clever for one so young as 4 years. Her daddy told her so every day. Her daddy would also say that her mummy was always right, and her mummy would say that her daddy was the smartest man she knew. Daddy would also say that mummy was right even more so now that little Charlie was growing in her tummy. He said if mummy finds out she is wrong after all, that she would apologize later, but we have to keep mummy happy because bad emotions can hurt little Charlie. She knew better than to argue with her mummy and daddy. Especially when both were the smartest people in the world! They always encouraged her to speak what she wanted, which was why she could talk better than Cousin Scorpius.

Right now, they were in her absolute most favorite shop! Lady Bertram's Books was located just down the street from their home, and just within walking distance of her second most favorite place, Central Park. It had wide open grass areas to run in that reminded her of mummy's cottage near Hogwarts. She could not wait to go to school. It didn't matter if she went to Hogwarts or any of the other seven or so well known schools in the world, so long as she got to learn. But it wasn't time for that yet.

No, this was the time for her to get a familiar. Her daddy said she could finally get on if she was the one to take responsibility for it. She was hoping for a hedgehog, like Radaghast in The Hobbit, or a flying fox because they just looked so cute to her. Or maybe a jackal, because she loved ancient history, especially Egypt. She wanted to be prepared, so she asked her daddy if he would take her to the book store, so she could read up on all sorts of animals.

She had so many already, and her mummy and daddy never did put a limit on how many she could get this time. They usually say only two or three. She supposed they didn't mind her being prepared for anything. Soon, she had so many, it was hard to see where she was going, and she ran into another bookshelf. Her daddy would be cross with her. He was always telling her to pay attention to where she was going. And now all of the books she wanted were on the floor around her and her nose hurt from ramming it into the books before she took a tumble. She could feel the tears coming and sniffled as she started picking up her books.

That's when she saw a pale hand reach out with one of her books to hand it to her. She looked up to thank the person for their help and stopped dead. Fear suddenly racing through her worse than when she had nightmares after hearing the story about her mummy and daddy fighting the bad man. She froze, both of her hands filled with books. Then she remembered what her daddy told her. He always told her to listen to her feelings. If you are scared, you are scared for a reason. When she told him she was afraid of the dark, he said there was a reason for it. That many bad things use to dark to hide. But, he also said that at home, with mummy and him there, she was safe, because they would fight the monsters with magic!

This man was definitely one of those monsters. He looked normal at first glance. But if you were to get a good look, this man was pretty. Really pretty. He was pale, had reddish hair, and golden eyes. Golden eyes that she watched turn black, and his nose twitch as he took a deep breath. She got even more scared. So scared she couldn't help the whimper she let out. Suddenly, the man's hand shot out and took her arm. He gripped her so strong, that she knew that it would leave a bruise. That's when her fear reached a tipping point. She pulled and pulled but the man wouldn't let her go. So she started screaming, just like her mummy told her to. And that's when she felt her magic help. Her magic bubbled up inside her as she screamed and she could feel it as her magic shocked the scary man.

He let go and looked at his hand in surprise, and that's when she made a run for it. Leaving her books where they lay, she rushed around the bookshelves, hoping to make it to the front of the store where her daddy said he would wait for her, but she didn't have to go that far. He must have heard her scream, because she saw him turn a corner just in front of her and she leaped into his arm, holding onto him tightly and crying her eyes out into his shoulder.

"Cora, are you alright?" he asked her. Holding tightly, but still pulling her back enough to make sure she didn't have an ouchie. Her daddy must have been able to tell that she wouldn't be able to tell him about the scary man because he looked into her eyes, the same dark eyes she had, and she could feel the comforting presence of him in her head.

" **What is it, little one? What has you so scared?"** He asked.

" _ **Daddy, there was a scary man. I was getting the books I wanted to read about different types of animals, when I ran into him. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. My books fell all over and I was picking them up when he started to help. I was going to say thank you, like you and mummy always said I should when someone helps me, but then I saw him and I got scared. He's different, daddy. He's really white, like he never goes outside, and his eyes were gold. But then they turned black. All black. No white. No gold. He grabbed me. But I screamed like mummy told me to if a stranger grabbed me and I shocked him with my magic and he let go. I ran away as fast as I could, because he was scary, and you said I should listen if I felt scared,"**_ she explained in a ramble. Her daddy shushed her like he would when she scraped her knee after falling down, or woke up from a really bad dream. He also gave her one of her favorite kisses on the top of her forehead.

" _ **You did very well, little Cora. Why don't we get you home so you can have some hot cocoa with Mei Mei and Ani, while mummy and I make sure the bad man goes away and never comes back,"**_ he suggests, and Cora nods her head into the crook of his neck.

"It seems we aren't going to find what we want here. I didn't really expect it anyway. Why don't you, me, and mummy all go to the Alley tomorrow with your aunts and uncles Malfoy and Scorpius? They will have books on how to properly care for familiars in any case," her daddy said calmly as he walked out of the store and into the nearby alley. Cora nods her head again, and hugs him all the tighter.

"Ani," he calls, and not half a blink later, her daddy's house elf appears. "Ani, would you please take Cora home and give her a big mug of hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows. Make sure she's well cared for and then kindly ask the mistress to meet me here. We have a monster to take care of."

The little creature nods, and holds out his arms to receive the little girl. "Of course, Sir. Ani will make sure Little Miss is feeling better in no time!"

Cora didn't want to let go, however. "Cora, you have to go with Ani now. So mummy and I can take care of the monsters."

Cora's hold again tightened on her daddy before she nodded one more time and went willingly to the little house elf's embrace. Ani took Cora home, and not five seconds later, Isa replaced him. Just as the man who scared his daughter entered the mouth of the Alley. And not just him, but it seemed all of his coven as well.

~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~

Severus, since the end of the war and his new life in America, had become a rather level headed man. He hadn't felt true fear for the better part of 6 years. That all came crashing down the moment he heard his daughter's terrified screams from the next aisle over. He had been waiting for her in just the next aisle, letting her think she was on her own, but keeping an eye on her from in between the books that separated them. He would have been a poor parent indeed to let a mere four year old out of his sight in such a large store.

He had to hold back a laugh at how many books she wanted to get. Being the daughter of two bibliophiles doomed the child to a life with her nose all but stuck to the pages of a book. He closed his eyes and shook his head at the absurdity. That one little action ensured he would never take his eyes off his daughter again. For the next thing he saw was Cora running as fast as her little legs would carry her to the end of the aisle of books, screaming as if her life depended on it. In four strides of his long legs, he reached the end of his own, and his daughter all but bowled him over in her attempt to flee whatever had frightened her.

Once he understood what had frightened her, and the image of the man, he knew that the time for his wife to finally have closure and peace from a time in her life that still left her with serious issues of abandonment and self esteem. He quickly took his little girl to the ally they had used to apparate here and home and called for Ani, who assured him that he and Mei Mei would care for her and that he would send Isa to him.

She appeared just as the boy that used to claim her affections and his coven entered the mouth of the alley. Both he and Isa ignored them for the time being, both looking at the other to see if they were both well. Him physically and she emotionally. Once assured they were, Severus lifted a hand to her cheek, and she leaned into the touch. Gaining strength and comfort from the long familiar action. It was then she turned her focus to the vampires, and they all gasped to see her.

"Bella," said the one who had grabbed his daughter. Both he and Isa were far from fools. Both had their wands in their hands. Their bodies angled in such a way that they had them drawn at their sides, but their guests couldn't tell.

Severus angled his body so that he was in front of his wife, and he addressed the boy in front of him.

"You will address me. Your association with my wife ended years ago, and your transgression against my daughter will be addressed. What do you want, leech?" Severus asked the child.

They all gasped.

"You-you told him? Bella, you know what happens to those that know of our existence. What will happen if it is found out you told anyone. Why would you risk that?" the red headed leech asked Isa.

"My knowledge of your kind is standard learning for those aged 13 and over where we are from. And again, you will speak only to me. One more word to my wife, and you will not like the consequences. Not that you will already find the ones concerning the attempted kidnap of my daughter a walk in the park either. You will answer my question," Severus growled in as low a tone as he could make his voice.

"Can she not speak for herself?! Are you her master?" the boy dared ask.

"She has a voice and will use it shortly. For now I asked you a question. What do you want?"

The red head, Edward, if he remembered his wife naming them correctly, growled at him. Severus, however, faced up to the Dark Lord and lived. Barely and by the sheer grace and skill of Isa, but the point stands. This little pest could growl all he want and still wouldn't be half as terrifying as Voldemort. Severus raised a black eyebrow in challenge.

"Please," said a blond male, stepping forward. "Please, we only wanted to come and apologize to the girl for frightening her. May we speak with her?"

"No. Cora is safe, and forever beyond your reach," Severus said before turning his attention to his wife. She nodded and took out her cell phone, dialing the number they had programed into her speed dial almost 6 years ago.

"Who are you calling?" a little black haired female asked from beside a heavily scarred male. Severus decided to keep an eye on him. That many scars indicates a lot of fights. A lot of fights he has obviously survived.

His Isa merely held up one finger in the direction of the vampires. Knowing this was going to be a shock to the vampires, he cast a nonverbal shield in front of them. Just in case.

"Ciao, Gianna Volturi speaking," said a voice on the other line. There were exclamations of surprise from the vampires in the ally, but they went ignored.

"Aro Volturi, now," Bella snapped.

"I am sorry, my master, Aro is busy at the moment, may I take a message?" Gianna asked.

"Get him now, and tell him it is to do with the Emrys Accords," demanded Isa. She apparently wasn't feeling too generous to the, in all likelihood, human wishing to be a vampire, receptionist.

There was a gasp of surprise from the other line, "O-of course, miss. Right away," stumbled Gianna.

"I'm not familiar with the Emrys Accords," frowned the blond male.

"Of course not. One, they are new to the last five years, and two, they are way above your paygrade," Isa said with no patience towards the vampires.

"Like you are even on the payroll, human," sneered the blond female. Severus, growled lowly at the tramp who dared insult his wife.

"This is your one warning, leech. There will not be a second," Severus said to her, never raising the tone of his voice.

"Rosalie. I wouldn't," warned the scarred male. Everyone's attention was drawn to the phone as a voice came through.

"Aro Volturi speaking."

"Aro Volturi. You do not know me beyond my name and reputation. I am Isabella Swan. Cousin to Hermione Granger. Survivor and hero of the Battle of Hogwarts. I am invoking my rights under article 12 of the Emrys Accords," Isa said succinctly.

There was a brief pause before the vampire on the other end of the line sighed.

"The name of the coven in question?" Aro Volturi asked.

"Cullen. However, I understand the leader is a friend. I will not exercise my rights to the full measure of the law, only to my satisfaction. They will live unless they interfere."

You could hear a pin drop in the ally, so the hitch in breathing on the phone was easy to pick up.

"Are they there with you now?" asked Aro.

"They are. I'll put you on speaker," Isa said before pulling the phone away from her ear and doing just that.

"Carlisle, my old friend, what have you gotten yourself into," asked Aro with a heavy sigh.

"I don't understand, Aro. What is going on? How do you know Bella?" The blond now known to Severus as Carlisle asked.

"That is a long story. One you may get to hear. I wish for you and your family to come to Volterra once your meeting with young Isabella is concluded," Aro requested, though everyone knew it was an order.

"You may want to call and remind them tomorrow morning, Aro. With what I have planned, they will not even remember this conversation," Isa said without any inflection in her voice.

"Ah, that is your plan. Very well, I shall call in the morning. I am sorry this has happened, Carlisle. I regret it, and so will you," Aro, what are you talking-, but he never got to finish as the phone went dead on the other end. Isa looked at Severus, who nodded, and they moved in tandem, stunning the vampires. All were on the ground in the ally before they knew what hit them. Isa stood over the scarred blond male and looked down on him.

"I'm thinking that the punishment should fit the crime. Not all deserve death, just like not all deserve life. This will take some legilimency to figure out, my love," Isa said looking to Severus. He sighed, knowing that her compassion would show itself in some form. He just wanted to kill them all and get the threat out of their lives for good. But to Isa, only the one known as Edward was the one who may have deserved death and even that wasn't a done deal.

"Very well, I shall take your lead. Might we at least put up privacy wards. We don't want any unkown onlookers poking their noses in," he said, gesturing to the mouth of the ally. Isa merely made her way there, and began waving her wand.

"Protego Maxima. Fianto Duri. Repello Sapiens. Salvio Hexia," she mumbled under her breath. Severus again sighed at his wife, knowing that this was difficult for her, before getting back to the task at hand. The sooner they got this done, the sooner they could both go home to their little girl. Not to mention, all of this stress wasn't good as it was to Isa, what with little Charles on his way.

"Incarcerous," he said pointing his wand at the leader, Carlisle, before he woke him. "Rennervate."

Carlisle blinked rapidly as he gained awareness, and then realized he was bound. He tried to break through the ropes, but was unsuccessful.

"Try as you might, vampire, you will not break through those ropes. They are conjured by magic, and only magic will remove them," Severus said.

"Magic?" Carlisle asked in a disbelieving whisper.

"You all left before I had the chance to tell you. I wanted to make sure you could be trusted. Ironic that I should find out you couldn't the night I was going to divulge everything," Isa said, stepping into his line of sight.

"Let's get this done, Severus. I want to go home."

"Look at me," Severus demanded of Carlisle, and when Carlisle looked up to him, Severus entered his mind. It only took moments before he left again.

"He is guilty of nothing but being a fool, my love," he said looking up to Isa. "He puts forth that he is the leader of the coven, but allows Edward and Alice to constantly make decisions for them because of their supposed gifts. Gifts I will be placing blocks on when I enter their minds."

"I could have told you that, dearest," she said before pointing her wand at him. "Obliviate," she said as she erased any knowledge of her from his mind, before she stunned him again. It went on like this through his mate, Esme, and the big one, Emmett, both were blameless, for all that meant, and both had their memories erased.

Then they came upon Alice. It took a little longer for Severus in her mind as he locked away her ability, but soon, she too followed suite. He stayed the shortest amount of time in Rosalie's mind, to that point.

"A more vain creature I have never encountered. It is sad. There are vestiges of the young woman she was, but it seems the ordeal that changed her into a vampire stunted her in a way. It would be a mercy to put the poor creature out of her mind," Severus said.

"What of Emmett? She is his mate and I know from experience taking one with drive the other mad," Isa replied.

"Hmm, probably the only reason I don't go through with it. So long as she remains on the diet, I suppose there is no true harm in letting her go on as is. I might take her memories of the event in any case. They are merely doing more harm than good. She isn't moving on, even after sixty or so years." And then he moved on to Jasper, who he recoiled from almost immediately. So much so he stumbled and fell back.

"Severus!" startled Isa and she ran to his side. "Are you alright?" Severus took a deep breath and looked at her, cupping her cheek in one of his large hands.

"I am fine, petal. His mind is chaotic. Filled with memories darker than any Death Eater," Severus said.

"You fought against the Dark Lord," Jasper said calmly, looking at the couple.

Isa and Severus turned their attention to him, and both nodded.

"Yes. I was one of his inner circle. A spy for the light," Severus said just as calmly. Isa was quickly reaching the end of her patience.

"And I was a medic during the final battle. What of it? How do you even know of the Dark Lord?" she snapped at him.

Severus covered her hand with his to calm her. "There is a history here you do not know of, my love."

Jasper nodded. "You do not know this, Bella, but I have a history of war as well. I am known in America as the most dangerous vampire on the continent. Your Dark Lord tracked me down and attempted to recruit me. The others don't know it, but I may have thinned the ranks a bit for you by eating the messengers," he said with a wide grin. The couple froze for a second before they both began laughing. It took a moment for them to regain their composure before Isa stood and banished the ropes holding him.

"I'll make you a deal, Jasper. You can keep your memories of me, of us, and you are welcome to a visit every once in a while, so long as you never bring the know it all twins. Sorry. I know she is your mate, but-"

"She's not," Jasper interrupted.

"Say what?"

"She's not my mate. She came to me and said she saw us as mates, but you can't emotionally blackmail someone with the gift of feeling an manipulating emotions. She is not my mate."

There was silence once more in the wake of their shock, until Isa broke it. "Huh. Go figure. You know, now that you mention it, I can't help but think that someone as mundane as a human or vampire would be a good fit for you. Maybe your mate is magical," Isa smirked at him.

Jasper gave a chuckle. "Maybe, Bella. Maybe."

"Isa. No one in my life calls me Bella, anymore. My name is Isa," she informs him.

"Isa it is. As for your deal, I accept. I will be in touch. Maybe I'll try my hand at finding my actual mate," he muses.

"Head to England. With the end of the Blood War, people's views on what is dark has changed drastically in the last few years. You'd have more luck in that magical community. Head to London, and find a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. That's as good a place as any to start," Severus told him.

"I would ask if you will be willing to remove the memories of me from Alice. I don't particularly want that shadow," he requested.

"It shall be done," he said. Jasper nodded once to the couple before he disappeared. One moment standing there, the next he was gone.

"Wow. Faster than copper top. I still managed to see Edward blur away in a split second. Jasper is a ghost," Isa said.

"Like I said, a history you are unaware of. I may tell you about it later. First, let's finish this," he said before making his way back to Alice to take her memories of Jasper.

Once that was done, he made his way to Edward. "I will not listen to him speak. I will wake him, and then petrify him so we can get this done quickly."

"I knew you were the smartest man I knew," she said, giving him a loving smile. Severus gave her a swift but passionate kiss before turning to do his task.

Once he entered Edward's mind, you could tell almost right away Severus wasn't liking what he was seeing. With a growl, he dislodged himself from the red head and set him ablaze with a non verbal incendio.

Isa raised an eyebrow at the display. "He had found another singer in our daughter, and wasn't planning on letting her go as he had you. I refuse to leave such a threat unanswered," he said by way of an explanation.

"Good. Well, then. Now that the threat is gone, what say you to us going home and comforting out daughter. I could use a little comfort myself tonight after we retire," Isa hinted.

"You are always in the right, petal. And tend to come up with the most simple and brilliant ideas. But what of his family? They will wonder where he went," Severus asked.

"My dear husband, put that Slytherin mind of yours to work. You have done your part. Why should we go out of our way to do more for them. We can banish his ashes," she said as she demonstrated her idea as she went, vanishing the vampire's ashes with a wave of her wand.

"And let them think that he merely ran away. They are no longer our problem."

Severus growled at the witch he managed to snag as his. He adored it when she put her brain to use like this. Taking her in a punishing and needy kiss and placing a hand over her slightly swollen belly that now housed his second child, he apparated them home, where their daughter awaited.

 ** _A/N: Alrighty guys, So I was hoping that this story would shake something loose for ABOOT, but I'm still not having any luck, but it seems my mind wants to make a sequel for this story, following Jasper. So, that's what I'm going to do, and hopefully, HOPEFULLY, then, it will shake some inspiration from my brain. Because I really want to get that story out of Hiatus. This story, however, is now done. I hope y'all liked it. As far as short stories go, I'm quite proud of it. lol_**


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